Mini Twists for Your Thanksgiving Recipes

Good things come in small packages. Give a mini twist to some of your favorite holiday appetizers, sides and desserts to surprise and delight friends and family. These recipe ideas will add a little fun to your festive Thanksgiving menu!

Appetizer: Mini Pumpkin Cheese Balls

Turn your annual “must-have” cheddar cheese ball recipe into bite-size mini pumpkins. After blending the mixture, chill until firm. With the smaller end of a melon baller, scoop out little cheese balls and place each one on a cracker. Insert a short piece of green onion or chive at the top of each for a stem. Draw vertical lines around each ball with a toothpick, from the top to the bottom, like the lines on a pumpkin. Chill again until serving time.

Side Dish: Mini Pumpkin Bowls

Serve one of your favorite side dishes, such as a wild rice and cranberry casserole, in individual mini pumpkins to brighten your holiday table. Just place as many mini pumpkins as you need on a baking sheet (without touching) and bake at 400°F for 25 minutes. Let cool, then slice off the top and scoop out seeds and some of the pulp, leaving a 1” shell. Fill each with warm side dish when ready to serve.

Dessert: Mini Candy & Cookie Acorns

Add fanciful fall harvest flair to your candy bowl or dessert tray with these holiday acorns. You’ll need chocolate or pumpkin spice kiss candies, mini vanilla wafers and butterscotch or peanut butter chips, plus melted chocolate to hold them together. Just spread a bit of melted chocolate on the bottom of a kiss candy, and press it to the underside of a mini vanilla wafer. Turn them over and “glue” one chip on top of the cookie with a bit more melted chocolate. Let set until firm.